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In debate, Himes & Debicella claim mantle of bipartisanship, paint each other as partisan

Craig LeMoult

Incumbent Democratic Congressman Jim Himes of Connecticut’s Fourth District and Republican Challenger Dan Debicelladebated in Norwalk Tuesday.  The candidates both bragged of their own bipartisanship, while trying to paint each other as partisan extremists.

From his first answer, Debicella sought to establish himself as the alternative to what he called incumbent politicians who put their party above country.

“I think we should take some of the best Republican ideas out there," Debicella said. "Like tax reform, where we actually eliminate some of the loopholes in our tax system to lower tax rates  for small businesses and the middle class, and some good Democratic ideas like raising the minimum wage.”

Debicella says he’s a fiscal conservative but a social moderate. But the Democratic incumbent Himes called that political theater.

“Dan is undertaking one of the most audacious, extreme political makeovers I have ever seen,” Himes said.

Himes pointed to a 2008 vote by Debicella against raising the minimum wage to $8 an hour when he was in the state legislature. Debicella responded that it wasn’t the right time to raise the minimum wage four years ago. But he said it is now.

The candidates were asked about their plans to continue economic growth in the region. Himes said business owners tell him transportation is a big problem.

“So, it is time for us to make a major commitment to bring the Civil War infrastructure that we have on Metro North and the 1950s infrastructure we have on [Interstate] 95 into the 21st century,” said Himes.

Himes said he recently worked to secure $160 million to restore the 120-year-old Walk Bridge in Norwalk, which has fouled up Metro North commutes recently when it’s gotten stuck open. He said other bridges and the highways need the same attention.

Debicella said Himes has had six years to improve things.

“Where are the results?" Debicella asked. "Connecticut is 50th out of 50 in job creation. We’re being left behind. Our infrastructure is worse than ever.”

Debicella said he favors tax cuts over more spending in order to get the economy moving.

On the subject of healthcare, Debicella says some things in the Affordable Care Act worked – like allowing children to stay on their parents coverage until age 26 and that patients can’t be denied insurance because of pre-existing conditions.

“Let’s keep those," Debicella said. "But let’s repeal what’s been harmful. The exchanges have been a failure. They have covered less than a fourth of the uninsured nationwide, and have driven up all of your costs by 35 percent.”

Debicella said costs need to be lowered with ideas like tort reform and interstate competition between health care companies.

Himes conceded that Obamacare hasn’t covered as many people as was planned.

“That is true, and it is true for a truly morally reprehensible reason," said Himes. "It is true because in states that are run by Republican governors and Republican legislatures, 36 of them, they decided not to expand Medicaid. The very program that was designed to provide health insurance to our poorest and most vulnerable people.”

Himes said the Connecticut exchange has brought the state’s uninsured rate from 8 percent to 4 percent and closed the so-called donut hole for seniors’ prescription drug coverage. He said Congress needs to do more to bring medical costs under control.

The Fourth District covers the southwestern corner of the state, stretching from one of Connecticut’s wealthiest towns, Greenwich, to one of its poorest, Bridgeport. Himes said the key to closing that income disparity is improving education.

“We need to fix the failing schools that unfortunately are keeping our young people in communities of needs back, that are not offering them the kind of opportunity to live the American dream,” Himes said.

And, he said, raising the minimum wage will help. Himes said we need to restructure tax subsidies, so they help struggling people, rather than the people at top income levels.

Debicella said the American dream is being threatened for too many families.

“We have to stop talking about income inequality and start talking about social mobility,” Debicella said.

The Republican is proposing what he calls enterprise zones in areas that are the most in need of jobs, where businesses wouldn’t be charged any federal or state taxes, and the federal government would pay local property taxes.

Both candidates in the Fourth district agreed that the partisan polarization in Washington has gotten in the way of the country’s progress. But they don’t agree on which one of them is the more independent, bi-partisan candidate, who can get things moving again.

Craig produces sound-rich features and breaking news coverage for WGBH News in Boston. His features have run nationally on NPR's Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Weekend Edition, as well as on PRI's The World and Marketplace. Craig has won a number of national and regional awards for his reporting, including two national Edward R. Murrow awards in 2015, the national Society of Professional Journalists Sigma Delta Chi award feature reporting in 2011, first place awards in 2012 and 2009 from the national Public Radio News Directors Inc. and second place in 2007 from the national Society of Environmental Journalists. Craig is a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and Tufts University.
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